One of the world's greatest races, the Indy 500, celebrates its centenary this year. Today we join the party with a look at one of the event's most successful machines; the McLaren M16. It debuted in 1971 and its final evolutions were raced well into the 1980s. In the hands of Team Penske and the McLaren works team the M16 took three wins at Indy and it also formed the basis for the double F1 World Championship winning M23.
In its original guise, the M16 was nothing short of revolutionary. It brought wings and 'wedge' design to the brickyard. McLaren would have to wait until 1972 when this very M16B was driven to the British manufacturer's first victory by Team Penske's Mark Donohue. Two years later the M16 was victorious again in M16C/D specification and driven by Johnny Rutherford. Some years ago we captured 'JR' reunited with the car that brought him the first of his three Indy victories. He can be seen driving his victorious chassis in this 12-shot gallery. The final version of the hugely successful Gordon Cuppock design was the M16E, which featured tweaks by a very young John Barnard. It did not win first time out but would bring McLaren's final and Rutherford's second win in 1976. McLaren would return with an all new car but it would not enjoy the success of the M16.

Enjoy the links:

1971 McLaren M16 Offenhauser - Images, Specifications and Information

1972 McLaren M16B Offenhauser - Images, Specifications and Information

1973 - 1974 McLaren M16C/D Offenhauser - Images, Specifications and Information

1975 - 1976 McLaren M16E Offenhauser - Images, Specifications and Information